Chapter 10: The Woman Who Wore My Mother's Face
My mother stumbled backward.
Arthur caught her before she fell.
"No," Elena whispered.
"No, no, no.""
On the phone screen, the woman smiled again.
She looked almost exactly like my mother.
The same dark eyes. The same delicate nose. The same small dimple near the left corner of her mouth.
But she was younger.
Perhaps twenty-five.
I stared at her.
"Who are you?""
Richard chuckled.
"That's an interesting question, Nia.""
Samuel stepped closer to the phone.
"Richard, identify the woman.""
"Why? Don't you recognize her?""
My mother shook her head violently.
"She's dead.""
The woman on the screen tilted her head.
"Am I?""
Elena covered her mouth.
I turned toward her.
"Mom, who is she?""
My mother looked at me, tears streaming down her cheeks.
"Her name is Claire.""
"Claire who?""
"Claire Bennett.""
Richard smiled.
"Not quite. Her name is Claire Carter.""
Arthur went completely still.
"That's impossible.""
Richard nodded.
"That's what Daniel thought too.""
Samuel immediately began recording the call on his own device.
"Richard, where are you?""
"Somewhere safe.""
"What do you want?""
Richard ignored him.
His attention remained fixed on me.
"You've been asking questions about your father, Nia. You've been digging through documents you don't understand. You've been listening to people who have spent years lying to you.""
I gripped my wheelchair.
"Then tell me the truth.""
Richard leaned back.
"Your father had a second family.""
The words struck me like a physical blow.
I looked at my mother.
She couldn't meet my eyes.
Richard continued.
"Claire is Elena's younger sister. She and Daniel were involved long before you were born.""
My mother finally spoke.
"That's a lie.""
Claire smiled.
"Is it?""
Elena's voice broke.
"You stole my husband.""
Claire's expression hardened.
"Daniel came to me. Don't pretend you were some innocent victim.""
I looked between them.
"You're sisters?""
My mother nodded slowly.
"We were.""
"What does that mean?""
Elena closed her eyes.
"Claire and I haven't spoken in more than twenty years.""
Richard laughed.
"Because Daniel made sure of it.""
Samuel interrupted.
"Richard, this call is being recorded. Whatever you're trying to accomplish, you should understand that you're creating additional evidence.""
Richard's smile disappeared.
"Then record this.""
He turned the camera toward Claire.
"Tell Nia what happened the night Daniel died.""
Claire looked directly into the camera.
"Your father was supposed to meet me that night.""
My stomach tightened.
"At the airport?""
She nodded.
"He had promised to give me documents that would prove Richard had stolen money from the company.""
My mother stepped forward.
"You're lying. Daniel was taking Nia to meet me.""
Claire smiled sadly.
"That's what he told you.""
Elena shook her head.
"No.""
"Daniel was planning to leave you both behind," Claire continued.
"He wanted to disappear with me and start over.""
I looked at Samuel.
He appeared as confused as I felt.
"Why would he do that?"" I asked.
Claire shrugged.
"Because your father was tired of everyone controlling his life.""
My mother suddenly slapped her palm against the table.
"Daniel loved Nia. He would never abandon her.""
Claire's eyes narrowed.
"He loved money more.""
Richard interrupted.
"Enough. We didn't call for a family reunion.""
He looked at me.
"There's a document you need to see. It will explain why your father was so desperate to keep you away from Claire.""
The screen changed.
A scanned document appeared.
At the top was the name of a private medical research foundation.
Beneath it was a contract dated six years before the accident.
My father's signature appeared at the bottom.
I leaned forward.
"What is this?""
Samuel studied the document.
His expression changed.
"It's a research participation agreement.""
My mother looked horrified.
"No.""
I turned toward her.
"Mom?""
She shook her head.
"Daniel told me he had stopped working with them.""
Richard smiled.
"Apparently, he hadn't.""
Claire spoke again.
"Your father agreed to let a private research group study certain neurological treatments. He wanted to find a way to restore movement after spinal injuries.""
I looked down at my legs.
My breathing became shallow.
"Why?""
Claire answered.
"Because he thought he could help people like you.""
I stared at her.
"What does that have to do with me?""
Richard leaned toward the camera.
"Everything.""
He explained that the foundation had been conducting experimental research on neurological recovery.
The project had received money from Carter Holdings.
Dr. Brooks had been involved as a consultant.
And according to the documents, I had been registered as a potential participant.
I felt sick.
"Did my father sign me up?""
Claire nodded.
"Before the accident.""
My mother shook her head.
"He never would have done that without telling me.""
Richard smiled.
"Perhaps he knew you would refuse.""
I looked at Samuel.
"Is this real?""
Samuel examined the document.
"The signature appears genuine. But the authorization section has been altered.""
"Meaning?""
"Meaning someone may have added Nia's name after Daniel signed.""
Richard laughed.
"Always an excuse.""
Then he leaned closer.
"Your father wanted to use you as proof that his research worked. When he discovered the treatment could have dangerous consequences, he tried to shut everything down.""
Claire nodded.
"He threatened to expose the foundation.""
I looked at her.
"Did you know?""
"Yes.""
"Did you help him?""
She hesitated.
Then she said, "I tried.""
Richard suddenly ended the call.
The screen went black.
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
Then my mother slowly sat down.
Arthur approached her.
"Elena, what is happening?""
She stared at the empty screen.
"Claire was my sister. When we were younger, she was always jealous of me. She wanted everything I had.""
"Did she have a relationship with Daniel?""
Elena nodded.
"Before I married him.""
I felt my chest tighten.
"And after?""
My mother looked at me.
"I don't know.""
Samuel placed the research document inside a protective folder.
"We need to verify this with the foundation.""
Thomas called immediately.
He listened for a moment.
Then he looked at me.
"There's a problem.""
"What?""
"The foundation was dissolved three years ago.""
"Why?""
"An internal investigation found serious irregularities in its clinical records.""
I swallowed.
"Who led the investigation?""
Thomas turned his laptop around.
A name appeared.
*Dr. Evelyn Brooks.*
My mother whispered something under her breath.
Samuel looked at the document again.
Then he noticed something near the bottom.
A small handwritten notation.
P-017.
The same code from the medical records.
He looked at me.
"Nia, I think your father was trying to shut down the project because he discovered you had been enrolled without proper consent.""
My hands went cold.
"And what happened to the other participants?""
Thomas began searching through his records.
A few moments later, he stopped.
"There were seventeen.""
"How many survived?""
He looked at the screen.
"Sixteen.""
I frowned.
"Sixteen?""
He nodded.
"One participant died during the trial.""
I looked at the list.
The first sixteen names were visible.
The seventeenth was blacked out.
But underneath the redaction, someone had written a note.
*Subject P-017 — Removed from program following fatal incident.*
I looked at my mother.
"That's me, isn't it?""
She nodded.
And then Thomas said something that made the room go silent.
"Nia, the foundation didn't list you as a survivor.""
May you like
He pointed to the final column.
"According to their records, you died four years ago.""
